University of New South Wales
Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Practice Online
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 12 months
- Course Type: Graduate Certificate
Advance your mental health practice by developing evidence-informed assessment, treatment and clinical decision-making skills for contemporary mental health care across a range of professional settings.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Practice is designed for health professionals seeking to strengthen their knowledge and practical capability in contemporary mental health care. Developed for practitioners working across a range of clinical settings, the course explores current approaches to assessment, treatment and recovery-oriented practice to support high-quality, evidence-informed care.
Throughout the course, students build the knowledge and clinical judgement needed to respond to complex mental health presentations across diverse care environments. The curriculum examines assessment, psychological therapies and contemporary models of mental health service delivery while strengthening critical thinking, ethical decision-making and person-centred practice. It also explores how evidence informs clinical care and supports effective outcomes for individuals, families and communities.
Delivered fully online in a part-time study mode, the course enables working professionals to continue their studies alongside professional commitments. Learning is supported through online lectures, interactive activities and discussion forums, with no placements or compulsory on-campus attendance required. The program is taught by experienced mental health clinicians and educators and focuses on developing practical capability for contemporary mental health practice.
CSP Subsidised Fees Available
This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.
Key facts
6th September, 2027
What you will study
To earn the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Practice, you must successfully complete units totalling 24 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 6 credit points.
Core units
- Mental Health Assessment and Treatment
- Fundamental Psychological Therapy Skills
- Philosophies of Mental Health Care, Services and Systems
- Assessing Risk and Managing Challenging Behaviour
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
Applicants for this course must meet the following:
- Undergraduate degree in a relevant health discipline (nursing, psychology, social work, medicine, occupational therapy or other allied health).
In exceptional circumstances, applicants with qualifications from non-relevant disciplines and/or extensive relevant professional work experience (e.g., Aboriginal health workers) may be considered.
English language requirements
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW, depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations. This is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If you’re completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
- English language tests and university English courses
- Prior study in the medium of English
- Other qualifications
For more details, visit the English Language Requirements page on UNSW's website.
Recognition of Prior Learning
You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help reduce the number of units you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the discipline of mental health practice.
- Evaluate evidence-based practice and its application to enhance patient outcomes in the discipline of mental health.
- Compare a wide range of patient groups and how mental health care is delivered differently within these groups.
- Explain mental health conditions and treatment modalities in the discipline of mental health.
- Evaluate your practice using professional self-management and excellence in leadership.
- Develop effective oral and written skills, which are vital to professional and scholarly practice within the discipline of mental health.
Career outcomes
On completion, potential roles are:
- Clinical mental health practitioner
- Community mental health worker
- Clinical nurse specialist/consultant
- Health service policy or advocacy advisor
- Mental health clinician (within existing scope of practice)
- Mental health consultant (healthcare or organisational settings)
- Mental health educator or trainer
- Mental health nurse*
- Mental health program coordinator
- Mental health researcher
- Mental health service development officer
- Mental health workplace consultant
*Role titles and scope of practice depend on professional background, registration requirements and further training.
Fees and CSP
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $7,000 (Commonwealth Supported Place)
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $17,500 (Full-fee paying place)
Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.
A student’s annual fee may vary by:
- The number of units studied.
- Choice of units.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
Commonwealth Supported Places
The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.
If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.
Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.
Your student contribution amount is:
- Calculated per the course you're enrolled in.
- Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
- Reviewed and adjusted each year.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.